National Dish Belarus: Kholodny Sup (Recipe)
In this article
Discover Kholodny Sup, the wonderfully refreshing cold soup of Belarus! Crisp cucumber, peppery radishes and armfuls of dill meet a cool, tangy base of yoghurt or buttermilk, and the result is a bowl that tastes like a summer afternoon. It takes barely twenty minutes of work, needs no cooking at all, and looks every bit as good as it tastes — perfect for a light lunch or a festive buffet table.
About Kholodny Sup
Kholodny Sup is one of the best-known cold soups from Belarus, and it comes into its own on the hottest days of the year. The dish brings together fresh ingredients such as cucumber, radishes and dill in an aromatic base of yoghurt or buttermilk. Its clean, cooling flavour and pretty presentation make it a natural centrepiece for any buffet, and an equally good choice for a light midday meal. Many cooks love Kholodny Sup not only for how refreshing it is, but also for how freely it can be varied.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 1 large cucumber
- 4–5 radishes
- 1 small bunch of dill
- 500 ml natural yoghurt or buttermilk
- 1 clove of garlic (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Water, as needed
Shopping for the ingredients
When shopping for Kholodny Sup, pay close attention to the freshness and quality of everything you buy. A weekly farmers’ market or a good organic shop is the ideal place to find cucumbers and radishes that are properly crisp and firm. The dill should be bright and fragrant too, since it carries much of the soup’s aroma. If you are choosing yoghurt or buttermilk, read the label and pick a product without unnecessary additives — the cleaner the dairy, the fresher the finished bowl.
Preparing the dish
Preparing Kholodny Sup is refreshingly straightforward and takes very little time. Begin by peeling the cucumber and cutting it into small, even dice. Wash and dry the radishes, then slice them thinly so they keep their bite. The dill should be roughly chopped rather than finely minced, which releases the most flavour into the soup. If you like a little extra bite, crush a clove of garlic and add it at this stage.
Step-by-step instructions
- Combine the diced cucumber, sliced radishes and chopped dill in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour in the yoghurt or buttermilk.
- Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste and stir everything together thoroughly.
- If the soup seems too thick, loosen it with a little cold water until you reach the consistency you want.
- Chill the soup in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Stir once more just before serving and ladle into deep bowls.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Kholodny Sup is very flexible and adapts easily to gluten-free or lactose-free diets. For a gluten-free version, simply check that your yoghurt or buttermilk carries no gluten-containing additives, or reach for a plant-based option such as coconut yoghurt. Lactose-free dairy works just as well and keeps the texture almost identical, so everyone at the table can eat the same dish. Neither swap takes anything away from the soup’s fresh, clean flavour.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Turning Kholodny Sup into a vegan bowl could hardly be simpler. In place of yoghurt or buttermilk, use a plant-based yoghurt alternative made from soya or almonds; both deliver a similar creaminess and let the vegetables shine through. Choose the remaining ingredients as fresh and as seasonal as you can, since a cold soup has nowhere to hide a tired cucumber. The same principle guides many meat-free classics of Belarusian cuisine.
More tips and tricks
A handful of small tricks will get the most out of your Kholodny Sup. Make sure the soup is thoroughly chilled before it reaches the table, because the cooling effect is half the pleasure. A few pre-cooked potatoes, cut into small chunks and stirred in, turn the bowl into something more substantial — the sort of hearty touch you also find in a good Rasolnik. Beyond that, experiment freely with different herbs and vegetables until you land on your own house version.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Kholodny Sup is an unusually adaptable dish that bends easily to personal preferences. Add grilled peppers or extra radishes for a different character, or swap in other herbs such as mint or parsley. The consistency is entirely up to you as well: pour in more liquid for a drinkable soup, or hold back for something closer to a chilled salad. A few adjustments are all it takes to make the recipe unmistakably yours.
Ingredient substitutions
If you do not have everything to hand, there are plenty of alternatives that work beautifully. When cucumbers are hard to find, courgette or celery will step in with a similar crunch and mild flavour. Instead of radishes, try carrots or sweet peppers for a sweeter, more colourful bowl. Substitutions like these give the soup a fresh twist and let you cook with whatever the season offers.
Drink pairing ideas
Kholodny Sup calls for refreshing drinks rather than anything heavy. Sparkling mineral water with lemon or a minty iced tea sits perfectly alongside the soup’s cool, herbal notes, and the traditional Belarusian choice is a glass of tangy Kvas. A fruit-forward smoothie or a light sorbet also makes a lovely companion, as does a well-chilled Kompot on a hot afternoon.
Serving and presentation ideas
Presentation lifts the whole Kholodny Sup experience considerably. Serve the soup in deep, attractive bowls and finish each one with a sprig of fresh dill or a thread of olive oil. A thin slice of lemon perched on the rim rounds off the look and adds a fresh kick for anyone who wants it. Above all, keep the soup properly cold right up to the moment it is served, so the refreshment lands at full strength.
A bit of history
Kholodny Sup belongs to a long tradition of Eastern European cold soups, served whenever the weather turns too warm for anything hot. The dish reflects a regional habit of building meals around fresh vegetables and dairy products, both of which were cheap and easy to come by. In Belarus it is a fixture of the summer months, a reminder of how closely the country’s cooking follows the seasons, and it stands alongside its close relative Holodnik. Similar versions turn up across Russian and Ukrainian kitchens too.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Kholodny Sup
Kholodny Sup is a marvellous cold soup that unites the clean taste of seasonal vegetables with the gentle creaminess of yoghurt. Made for warm days, it works equally well as a light lunch or as part of a generous buffet spread. Because the recipe is so accommodating, you can shape it around your own preferences with barely any effort. Give it a try and enjoy a genuinely delicious taste of Belarus.
